One On One With A Professional Stuntwoman: Introducing Jackie Murray

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Jackie Murray is an accomplished martial artist, gymnast, dancer, and business owner. In the film and television industry, she is a successful and dedicated assistant director, production manager, stuntwoman, and actress.

Jackie was born and raised in a Martial Arts family and gained much experience training in locations all across the world including Hong Kong, China, the U.S.A, and her home, Australia. Her primary style is Kung Fu, and she is trained in Karate, Wu Shu, Jiu-Jitsu, Muay Thai, and Tai Chi, including the traditional weaponry of these arts. She is also a proficient Gymnast and is an accredited Level 1 Gymnastics Australia coach.

For many years, Jackie has held ownership over her family’s Martial Arts studio, which she herself expanded to include tuition in Dance, Gymnastics, and Parkour. She is an extremely successful Master, who in 2011, was inducted into the ISKA’s (International Sport Karate Association) Hall Of Fame twice and awarded the title: ‘Female Instructor of the Year’.

Having entered the Film and TV Industry as a child actress, Jackie’s passion for both the Performing Arts and Martial Arts led to her unite the two when she began to pursue Stunts. Here, her skills truly flourished and she showed not only promise as a Stuntwoman but through much experience and training, expanded herself to undertake roles as an Assistant Director -Production Manager and also Safety Assist(WHS).

Jackie has been involved in the Film and TV Industry since childhood, appearing in several commercials and short films. Over the last 10 years, she has gained notable successes as a Stuntwoman for tackling high-risk jobs including multiple full-body burns. She has also gained multiple acting roles in which she has been able to align both her Acting Persona and Stunt Persona to complete both dialogues-heavy and physical roles.

FilmCentral magazine recently caught up with Jackie to discuss her journey in the industry and here’s what went down:

Can you tell us more about yourself?

I am a company owner x 4; an actress, stuntwoman, first Assistant Director, Assistant Stunt Coordinator, and Film and TV Safety Supervisor.

What are some of the most known projects you have worked on?

Marvel, The Kingsman, The Bold & the Beautiful, Home & Away, Mavrix, Love you like that, Wyrmwood, The Moth Effect, (Gold with Zac Effron)

-What are your role/s in the film industry?

Stunt woman, Assistant Stunt Coordinator, 1st AD, Actress, Producer, and Safety Supervisor.

What do you like most about what you do?

The Variety of roles I can do.

How dangerous is a stunt job?

Stunt always will have danger attached to the job but with all the safety precautions and training and equipment we now have access to makes our job so much safer to do.

What training and qualifications are required?

There are many qualifications and lots of training that must be done to work within the stunt field. There is also a grading system that must be met and a panel of people run under the MEAA that approve you and your application to become a stunt performer.

There is also a number of levels that you work your way up. When you first get accepted into the stunt world you are known as a SAP and then you apply to work your way up the ranks. See the stages below :

-SAP (Stunt actor provisional)
– Stunt Actor
-Safety Supervisor
– Assistant Stunt Coordinator
_ Stunt Coordinator

Is there an age limit to stunt work?

Too young or too old? Yes, starting age of 18 yrs. However, you can you a younger specialist in a field and request a dispensation from the MEAA Stunt Panel.

Did you find it difficult to work as a stunt woman in a male-driven environment?

Yes, when I first started they were getting the male stuntmen to dress as a woman to do the stunts even when there was a Female stuntwoman available. Times have changed a lot now and there are so many stunt women working within the industry and it’s great to see.

What have you learned from the directors that you have worked with throughout your career?

There is so much out there in the way of learning… I have a rule that I live by and that is to learn at least one new thing a day. One thing I love is that directors are becoming more accepting of Stunt Coordinators and Stunt Professionals helping out with the actions scenes and having more say in the direction of action scenes and how to shoot and edit them or now more and more we are seeing 2nd unit Action director credits.

What are some of the difficulties of the entertainment business?

The long hours we do and trying to also have a family and children and the travel.

What are the different sorts of stunts?

Wow, there are so many to list and we would need this full magazine to list them all…….. But here a few of the most common used regularly:

-Basic Trip and Falls
– Driving Sequences from basic driving to precision driving to racing, crashing, rolling, and exploding cars.
– Car knockdowns
– Jerk backs
– High Falls
– Fire both on our bodies and explosive fires
– Gun & weapons
-Water & Boat
– Motor Bikes
– Animals
And I could keep going and going…

What is involved in performing a stunt?

Stunts can be very basic to doing things that we think are never possible. What’s involved in a stunt no matter how basic still holds risk and the stunt person and all involved need to be well trained and highly skilled to make it look amazing in a safe way.

So training is a must also making sure preparation of what’s involved is fully thought out and rehearsed over and over to rule out all the risk and show all the possibilities in making a stunt look and work to its full potential in keeping stunt safe but as real as possible so the viewers watching the stunt feel like they are there when it’s happening.

What do you do when you’re not filming?

Okay, so here is yet another long answer that I may need pages for (laughs).

When I am not on set filming which is not very often, I am a mother of 3 amazing children (So cleaning, cooking, school, shopping, and all mother and taxi duties). I am a wife so basically add that to mother of 4. I own 4 companies so working on all the paperwork and everything it takes to run a business with 25 staff. I find time to train and I also prep scripts and do script breakdowns for Safety reports and 1st AD scheduling along with Assist stunt coordinating doing stunt breakdowns and budgeting etc…

Who have been the most interesting people you’ve met so far?

I have met so many famous actors and would take forever to list them all but some of my favourite for many different reasons are Zac Effron, Rebel Wilson, John Jarrod, Hugh Jackman, Hugh Sheridan, David Wenham, and Susie Porter.

If someone is going to make your life into a movie, who would play you? Me.

The Chilling Trailer for Port Arthur Massacre Movie ‘Nitram’ Has Just Dropped

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Photo Credit: Madman Films

Madman Entertainment has just released the official trailer for NITRAM and it looks quite chilling..

NITRAM depicts the events leading up to one of the darkest chapters in Australian history in an attempt to understand why and how this atrocity occurred. Directed by Justin Kurzel (True History of the Kelly Gang, Snowtown) and written by Shaun Grant (Penguin Bloom, Snowtown), the feature film stars Caleb Landry Jones (Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, Get Out), Essie Davis (The Babadook, Game of Thrones), Judy Davis (My Brilliant Career, The Dressmaker) and Anthony LaPaglia (Lantana, Balibo).

In a statement, the filmmakers commented: “NITRAM was written as a response to the proliferation of regular mass shootings across the world and is an exploration of the issues and events that led to this atrocity, rather than a re-enactment of it, to bring the gun control debate to the fore and to try to ensure history does not repeat itself.”

NITRAM is the first Australian film to compete at Cannes for the Palme D’Or in a decade. NITRAM marks Kurzel’s third feature film to screen at Cannes and his second in competition. The film will have its Australian premiere at Melbourne International Film Festival this August, and a national cinema release soon afterwards. A Good Thing Productions film in conjunction with Stan, NITRAM is produced by GoodThing Productions’ Nick Batzias and Virginia Whitwell (2040, The Australian Dream), alongside Kurzel and Grant.

Synopsis

NITRAM (Caleb Landry-Jones) lives with his mother (Judy Davis) and father (Anthony LaPaglia) in suburban Australia in the Mid 1990s. He lives a life of isolation and frustration at never being able to fit in. That is until he unexpectedly finds a close friend in a reclusive heiress, Helen (Essie Davis). However, when that friendship meets its tragic end, and NITRAM’s loneliness and anger grow, he begins a slow descent into a nightmare that culminates in the most nihilistic and heinous of acts. You can watch the trailer below:

 

The Verdict On Mortal Kombat: Is It Worth Your Time And Money??

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It’s hard not to talk about the “Mortal Kombat” franchise without discussing the original film from 1995, and of course, video game films in general. For the most part, “Mortal Kombat” was one of the exceedingly few examples of a video game movie that was critically and financially successful. But video game films quickly became viewed as disasters waiting to happen and after numerous bankrupting failures (Super Mario Bros, Street Fighter, Monster Hunter, House of the Dead, etc.), not to mention the unwatchable mess that is “Mortal Kombat: Annihilation”, it seemed unlikely “Mortal Kombat” would ever be anything more than an ultra-violent video game series. Come 2021 and Warner Bros surprised everyone with a bloody, brutal, dark and gritty new take on the franchise that hopes to turn things around and top the original in every way possible.

MMA fighter Cole Young (Lewis Tan) is an ordinary man who lives an ordinary life fighting ordinary people. Until he is attacked by an ice-wielding super warrior; Sub-Zero (Joe Taslim) because of a strange dragon tattoo. He learns from his new friends Sonya Blade (Jessica McNamee) and Jax Briggs (Mehcad Brooks) that tattoo means he is chosen to fight the forces of evil in an epic tournament called ‘Mortal Kombat’ that will decide the fate of the world. Under the tutelage of Raiden, god of thunder (Tadanobu Asano), he must train alongside other gifted warriors like Liu Kang (Ludi Lin), Kung Lao (Max Huang), and rogue mercenary Kano (Josh Lawson) in order to stop Shang Tsung (Chin Han) from invading the realm of Earth and defeating Earth’s champions before they even have a chance to compete in the tournament.

I’ve long wanted to see the director take another bloody stab at remaking Mortal Kombat for a new audience and age and one thing I can safely say right off the bat is: they definitely got the gore right. Many fans criticized the first film for watering down the blood and violence; keeping it PG-13 rated neutered the fatalities and many of the game’s central elements felt stripped away. However, one thing the original film kept that this new one seemed to ditch was the set piece of a tournament. This time around, the tournament is preempted by multiple surprise attacks and blindside fights where the villains try and kill Earth’s champions before the tournament can begin; leading to a chaotic narrative that tries to not feel like it’s all over the place but essentially still is.

The film feels like it’s jumping around too much to keep things focused and cohesive. Even in a video game series about fighting and slicing people in half with buzz saw hats, there is a story to follow. There’s creative effort to include as many characters and signature attacks and finishing moves as possible, so that is why is struck me as odd to invent a tragically boring character like Cole Young who fails to feel interesting on any level and performs like a generic self-audience-insert character made just so we can have someone explain all the exposition to. Josh Lawson and Tadanobu Asano feel like the only actors truly trying here; offering new sides to their characters and fulfilling their roles with enough energy and accuracy that most of the cast cannot deliver.

 Aside from stellar action sequences, updated effects and better costumes, the only real leg up this new take over the original is their new takes on Sub-Zero and Scorpion. Their vividly explored backstories, histories, and hatred for each other were beautifully handled this time around. They became much more than silent fan service ninjas. They felt like real, dangerously intense warriors whose powers were masterfully brought to life with stunning effects that blur the line between practical and CGI. Overall, “Mortal Kombat” offers some interesting new takes and styles that certainly deliver on flashy kills and updated effects and costumes. However, its lack of the tournament as a backdrop and the chaotic nature of the story makes the film feel like a random jointed haze of excellent fights and rushed expositions. I feel this new take on the franchise has the chance to grow into something bigger and better, but at this time, “Mortal Kombat 2021” still hasn’t cleared many of the hurdles the first film handled so well so many years ago.

I give “Mortal Kombat (2021)” 2 ½ stars out of 4 stars.

The Verdict On The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It – Is It Worth Your Time And Money??

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Horror franchises have a very limited shelf life. Stories of boogeymen killers like Freddy Krueger, Jason Voorhees, and Michael Myers lose their lethal luster after so many sequels. Eventually, they become joke characters relying on outrageous gimmicks or twists to make them relevant again or at the very least somewhat entertaining. One thing that definitely doesn’t hold up though is the horror itself: the scares and the fear these films are meant to generate. One rare exception is “The Conjuring” series; exploded from one single film into a full-blown trilogy and several spinoffs with sequels of their own (Annabelle, Curse of La Llorona). The real-life paranormal investigators of Ed and Lorraine Warren have brought many true scary stories to the silver screen and this may possibly be the last so let’s hope “The Devil made me do it” really does it.

Set in the 1980s, Ed and Lorraine Warren (Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga) perform an exorcism on a young boy to save him from a demon. Unfortunately, the demon finds another body in a nearby family friend Arne Johnson (Ruairi O’Connor), and forces him to commit a heinous act that catapults the case to national news. Now, Arne is on trial for what he did while he was possessed and is targeted for a death sentence. Ed and Lorraine have to investigate the origins of this demon, find its source and convince a court of law to accept the existence of demons in order to save Arne from a terrible fate. What Ed and Lorraine will find will shock them to their core and directly contribute towards many lives hanging in the balance of this case.

Despite the summary, very little of this film actually takes place or deals with any courtroom drama. Those expecting a similar setup as “The Exorcism of Emily Rose” will be sorely mistaken as this plays out much more like an expected sequel to “The Conjuring” than anything else. “The Devil made me do it” is by no means a softball horror film, in comparison to its previous installments, it does feel a bit lighter on the scares and ventures off into more average/generic territories than anything groundbreaking. The big significance here is the popularity of the case and this possibly being the last installment in the “Conjuring” films. If this is your first time seeing one of these films, it’ll feel fresh and freaky but if you’re a seasoned veteran it’s probably going to come across as something you’ve kind of already seen before.

The scares this time involve aspects outside of the haunted house setting, which is a welcome change and provides a unique bit of mystery for the Warrens to solve alongside local police and investigators. Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga always provide a touching, endearing portrayal of the real-life paranormal investigators; maintaining a dynamic that is endearing and touching in even the darkest of times. There is a stellar and downright terrifying opening sequence with an exorcism that truly captivates the audience; unfortunately, the film never manages to reach that high point again at any time. Even when the mystery is what’s going on is fully unraveled, it doesn’t feel particularly interesting or impressive compared to past films.

This also happens to be the first “Conjuring” film creator James Wan did not direct and I can’t help but feel that directly contributed to the average quality of this film. Wan understands true terror and how to package that in a way that consumes its viewers and forces them to keep watching no matter how horrific or intense things get. He grounds his characters and their terrifying experiences in ways that new director Michael Chaves simply does not understand. The scares don’t feel as impactful when they happen and most of them can be perceived much easier than before. If this is the last entry in the film series then it’s regrettable to go out on such a mediocre note.

Overall, “The Devil made me do it” doesn’t do anything particularly bad or shameful but it just doesn’t break any new ground or raise the stakes any higher. The cast is solid, the drama is compelling but the new director’s inexperience is evident and it makes the audience realize that the first two films are high notes that this film cannot ever really reach no matter how hard it tries. It’s not bad for a watch but not much more than that.

I give “The Conjuring: the devil made me do it” 2 stars out of 4 stars.

Rising Star To Watch Out For In 2021: Introducing Kathy Luu

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Kathy Luu is an actor, director, photographer, and writer. Born in Sydney to Vietnamese refugee parents, she studied law and film at UNSW, before becoming an actor. Creating innovative short content videos and visuals for social media is part of Kathy’s creative practice. She is inspired by work that is bold, funny, unique, playful, and crazily creative. Her film The Real Zombie Housewives has won international awards for its originality and comedy.

She can be last seen acting in the NBC comedy The Good Place, and domestically soon to be released, the first Asian-Australian lead rom-com, Rhapsody of Love as the lead and associate producer. She is currently in post-production for her web series Zombie Therapy as director, co-producer, and actor.

FilmCentral Magazine recently caught up with Kathy to discuss her journey in the industry and here’s what went down:

Can you tell us more about yourself?

They say we carry the unlived lives and dreams of our parents. My parents, though factory workers by day in their early years of living in Australia, were at heart romantics, poets, artists, philosophers, dreamers, and great humanists. This explains my love for the arts and also why I did not finish law school! So love, art, beauty, creativity, movement, care for humanity, delight, and freedom (when I remember!) is who I am in more core essence – to express and live that in my daily life and through my art is what I am about in a paragraph.

How did you get started in the entertainment industry?

My first acting gig was when I was 6 years old – cast as Dorothy in The Wizard of OZ in the primary school play. My first adult acting gig was in a music video with a very talented Australian director Luke Eve, who has become a great friend.

What do you like most about acting?

Acting is so much an exploration of being human. Getting to experience something new through the characters – the process of transformation and embodiment is something else. Getting to work and create with other people and the ability to tell new stories. Filmmaking and movies are a way for people to see and experience something new. Like any art or experience, a moment of new truth or beauty in a movie can shift the way you see yourself and thus the world. Movies can be a very positive force.

How different is it to act in a movie and to act in a TV series? And which one do you prefer?

I don’t feel it is that different – same delicious cake, different packaging. If I have a delicious cake to sink my teeth into, I don’t mind what the packaging is like. Sometimes the cake needs to be made and eaten fast, and other times you get to slow down a bit and enjoy the unexpected custard and surprise layer that is in the cake. I just try to make sure that I enjoy whatever cake I am eating!

What are your strong points as an actor?

Anything involving going deep is my strength, as well as going sideways and very silly. I have no fear in going deep into a scene, nor making a fool of myself for a laugh. I’m also very good at falling over.

What are some of the difficulties of the acting business?

The same difficulties you’d probably find in other areas of life! But they don’t have to be. Any difficulty presents an opportunity for strengthening or renewal of our character. Difficulty changes a person – I do what I can to let it change me in a positive way and it becomes a blessing. Plus, once you are forged between fire and iron, you bring something else to who you are and your work that hasn’t been there before. What a gift! ‘Waiting’ is a big difficulty for a lot of people in this business I feel. For me waiting changed me significantly and allowed me to discover all these other skills and potentials I had inside me.

What’s challenging about bringing a script to life?

As an actor, finding your character I feel is key and also one of the most challenging and satisfying experiences. If you can find the movement and essence of your character this adds an incredible life and world to the life of a script. As a director, having a very clear vision and mood – the translation and execution of the script into a tangible form – so what you produce is as good or better than what you and the scriptwriter imagined.

What do you do when you’re not filming?

I enjoy life as much as I can. I am one for celebrating simple pleasures, as well as great ideas. Creativity, love, care, and being happy is my lifestyle. I direct, I photograph, I write, I make art, I explore human consciousness with my cup of coffee. I take great pleasure in people. I find people so rich with beauty, stories, and interesting things. So I spend a lot of time alone and spend a lot of time with people. I’d love to spend more time in nature.

What has been the most memorable experience of your career so far?

Getting my first US TV job (The Good Place) was very memorable. But right now Rhapsody of Love has been one of my favourite projects to work on – I got to work and play with so many amazingly beautiful people, and it is also the first time I got to lead a film – and that has been one of the most satisfying experiences.

Who have been the most interesting people you’ve met so far and what have you learned from the directors that you have worked with throughout your career?

Joy Hopwood, the director/producer for Rhapsody of Love has been one of the most interesting people I have met. Her tenacity and passion are on another level. Our producer, Ana Tiwary has both extraordinary kindness and as well as strength and vision- she is amazing at what she does. Jeneffa Soldatic, another amazing director and dramaturg has such a beautiful way of guiding actors into deep and open places and has done this for me. All these women have been so true to themselves, and I have seen the ripple positive effects it has on all those around them. It has shown me what one person can do.

If someone is going to make your life into a movie, who would play you?

Firstly, it would have to be an animation or a stop motion animation. I pretty much would like Rudolph the rednosed reindeer from the 80s Christmas stop motion to play me. If he’s unavailable then Emmett from The Lego Movie. And if he happens to be on the 6th Lego movie, then probably Emilia Clarke would be wonderful.

What are your future plans? Inside your career or out of it.

This morning I woke up thinking, “Let’s just live and love the heck out of life”. That’s my plan for now.

Rising Star To Watch Out For In 2021: Introducing Damien Sato

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Damien recently starred in the feature film ‘Rhapsody of Love’ with co-star Kathy Luu, in Australia’s first rom-com featuring two Asian leads. The film has gained wide interest and has been submitted to various film festivals including the prestigious Gold Coast Film Festival. He has also been involved with various productions including ‘Innocent Killer’ which won best feature film at the International Film & Entertainment Festival of Australia.

Damien is known as a multi-talented actor with a broad range of skills including but not limited to: languages (Mandarin, Cantonese, Japanese), martial arts (krav maga, weapons, boxing), presenting, and hosting.

He has also studied at various established institutions such as the Actor’s Centre of Australia, NIDA and Screenwise, Actors Pulse, and several of Australia’s top directors and casting directors. With a firm drive for constant self-improvement and growth, he is relentless in becoming a better actor and just an overall better human being. FilmCentral Magazine recently caught up with Damien to discuss his journey in the industry and here’s what went down:

Can you tell us more about yourself?

I would consider myself somewhere between a mad scientist and a Zen monk. I like to experiment with optimising my biology i.e. performance, whilst also remaining relatively unattached to anything worldly.

How did you get started in the entertainment industry?

I got started after seeing an advertisement for talent, with the key phrase “no experience necessary”. I was very shy and awkward in front of the camera, so it was a perfect career choice!

What do you like most about acting?

I consider acting a “meta career”, meaning that it is a career that involves learning about all other careers. I mean you could be playing a doctor or lawyer one day, and a serial killer the next (not like being a serial killer is a real career). Basically, you get to delve into the lives of many people and learn what it’s like to be someone else.

How different is it to act in a movie and to act in a TV series?

Well, I haven’t really acted in a TV series so I wouldn’t really know. I guess I’d prefer to act in a movie since you don’t get locked into playing one type of character.

What are your weak points when it comes to acting? How do you try to improve them?

Being inside my head. It’s all about being in the moment, and you can’t really be in the moment if you are thinking about the moment. I just really let go of the outcome or trying to act, and just be. Often, just listening produces the best acting.

What has been the most memorable experience of your career so far?

The whole thing has been a giant blur of goodness. I would say the best times I’ve had were being paid to travel the world whilst being able to work with awesome people.

What are your strong points as an actor?

I’m a very analytical person, which tends to keep me in my head, however, at the same time, it allows for me to break down and understand characters with great depth.

What have you learned from the directors that you have worked with throughout your career?

That every director has their own style and processes – It’s up to the actor to adapt to them, just as much as it is for the director to adapt to actors.

What are some of the difficulties of the acting business?

What’s not difficult? Seriously, there are too many to list (uncertain career path, don’t know when your next paycheque will be, dealing with egomaniacs, etc.), however, it’s the challenges that make it such a rewarding career path.

What’s challenging about bringing a script to life?

Really believing you are the character. Audiences can tell when you are being inauthentic or trying to act as if you are the character.

What do you do when you’re not filming?

Keeping my other assets working sharp, i.e. body, mind, and relationships. As an actor, you are the product, so you have to take care of all areas of your life to keep yourself going strong.

Who have been the most interesting people you’ve met so far?

Actors are an odd bunch, there’s always an interesting story behind each of them. No one really stands out when I think about it.

If someone is going to make your life into a movie, who would play you?

Someone devilishly handsome and charming… so myself (laughs). Kidding (or am I?). Truth be told, it would have to be Henry Golding, because lots of people say I look like him. It would be a good chance for people to say he looks like me!

What are your future plans? Inside your career or out of it.

Keep doing what I’m doing – putting myself out there and growing. I would love to have broken out to the U.S or international markets.

If there is anything else or interesting you can tell us

I plan to be single at this moment, there are simply too many things to do in life!

Meet The Woman Behind The Latest Issue Of FilmCentral Magazine: The Amazing Lili Liu

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A classically trained musician who happens to have a flair for theatrics is a killer combination. This combination resides in Lili Liu, an upcoming actress from Melbourne who plays an exciting role as the confident and ambitious young woman, Pinyuan Xue in her upcoming musical drama “Life as a Summer Flower,” which was originally written by her good friend, Xiaolin Shen.

Produced by Liu Entertainment (L Enter Pty Ltd), and starring Lili Liu, the musical comedy is centered during the Liang period of Wei Jing and Northern and Southern Dynasties (220-589) in ancient China. The family-oriented narrative of this series focuses on a heroine called Pingyuan Xue who originally hails from a peasant family but later emerges as a warrior who is determined to find her true love. After being overcome with a powerful vision, she becomes a legendary female warrior, meeting the Emperor whom she falls in love with, but then she eventually discovers she’s just being used for a different motive which leads her to go on a journey of discovering herself. While the series is supposed to be a musical comedy, at the heart of it is a message of determination and hope.

FilmCentral Magazine recently caught up with Lili Liu to discuss her journey in the entertainment industry and her latest project and here’s what went down:

Can you tell us more about yourself? How did you get started in the entertainment industry?

I’m a classically trained musician. I did my piano recital in Sydney Opera House and many other concert venues. But I have always wanted to write my own songs and share my love for storytelling. When my good friend Xiaolin Shen showed me her novel Life as a Summer Flower, I immediately felt I need to turn the story into a musical drama. It’s a story people need to see!

What do you like most about acting?

To become the other person. To think, act, and see the world from another person’s perspective allows me to see the world differently. When I act, I can give the voice to that character, that soul. To help that soul to express herself, to bring that soul to physical life is what I enjoy the most.

Can you tell us about your recent role in your drama series?

Pinyuan Xue is a very confident, independent, and ambitious young woman. She almost never doubts her own ability. She has lots of challenges in her life. She faced many setbacks. But she seems always to have the power to rise from the ashes, like a phoenix reborn from the ashes. I’m learning a lot from her, her brightness, positivity, and her ability to turn her vision into reality are very admirable.

What sort of person is going to relate to this character?

Everyone who begins with a humble beginning, and fights their way to achieve their dreams can relate to Pinyuan Xue. The scriptwriter Xiaolin Shen told me Pinyuan Xue is her ideal character. She is also my ideal. I hope I can be more and more like her.

How is this character like you? Different?

We both have big dreams and visions in life. We both do our best to achieve them. However, Pinyuan is more confident. She is almost always certain, and she doesn’t have many doubts. I have much more fear and doubts. I enjoy being her in the show, she taught me how to face challenges and fear, and how to win the battle fair and square.

Besides yourself, what celebrity would you like to see tackle this character?

I would like to think I’m the most suitable person for the role. I love this role. The role of Pinyuan Xue and her story really inspires me. It’s a story I have to tell. It took the scriptwriter Xiaolin Shen many years to write the story and develop the characters. I feel very blessed for the trust Xiaolin placed in me, and I will do my best to deliver a performance that even in many years’ time, I can still be proud of. Hopefully, the audience will feel inspired and entertained too.

What’s the biggest challenge to taking on this role?

Singing the monologues and act at the same time. Because it’s a musical, there are many dialogues we need to sing. When I sing and act alongside others, it’s much easier. There is a scene that I need to sing a monologue, like a self-reflection song by myself, I found it takes a lot of skills to make it natural and impactful. That’s something I’m working on at the moment.

Who have been the most interesting people you’ve met so far?

There are a lot of interesting people in my life. Lately, I’ve been thinking about my homestay mum a lot. When I come to Australia for high school, I had an Australian homestay mum, Daphne. Daphne encouraged me to be independent, self-reliant, and to pursue my piano dream! I stayed with her for two years and a half. She drove me to all piano lessons, introduced me to Thai food and Spaghetti Carbonara… Her love and support made the pursuit of my dream a much easier journey. I’m very grateful to her!

How active are you on social media?

Not very active… I try to keep my distance from social media. I use it mainly for work. I prefer spending time with real people. In-person.

What are your plans? Inside your career or out of it.

I want to inspire people to follow their passion and their highest calling. I believe when each of us finds and does what we truly love doing, the world will be a much happier place, we can all fulfill our missions here on earth. I have always been attracted to music, art, and storytelling, everything that beautifies the world, that allows me to express myself creatively. I will continue to create new works in the future. Both music and screen productions. I feel very alive when I’m in the creative process of bringing an idea to life. The creative energy is what drives me every day. My current plan is to do all I can, with my team to create Life as a Summer Flower one that we are truly proud of. Art and music have great powers to break barriers and enhance understanding between people – that’s what I want to do through music and storytelling, to open people’s hearts and create channels for understanding.

The ‘LIGHTNING FAST’ Round:

1. Last good movie I’ve seen: Howl’s Moving Castle by Hayao Miyazaki. “They say that the best blaze burns the brightest when circumstances are at their worst.” This is one of my favourite movie quotes of all time.

2. What do you consider beautiful and why? Helping others. I consider people helping each other, be kind and compassionate to each other to be the most beautiful act.

3. What haven’t you done yet that you wish you could? Start a family and have at least two children.

4. Complete this sentence: “If I had no fear, I’d….”

If I had no fear, I’d sit down and write out my life story. Then, I could understand how I have come to be who I am and where there is next for me to go with my career. I reflect on the events of my life often, and I would like to put them into a narrative structure.

5. What is the one “flaw” you wouldn’t change about yourself?

I always whole heartily go after what I want. I don’t have a backup plan. So when things don’t go the way I want, I can feel hurt and disappointed. But I like to stay this way. Because in order for me to go beyond myself, I need to give whatever I do my devotion, my 200% focus. As Rumi said “You have to keep breaking your heart until it opens”, I consider any setback or heartbreak on the way are opportunities for me to upgrade myself. So, I wouldn’t change that ‘flaw’ of myself.

“Life as a Summer Flower,” the musical series will be filming in Bendigo in July, so be sure to follow this space to find out more details about this amazing project.

PAW PATROL: THE MOVIE…Watch Your Favourite Heroic Pups In The Brand-New Trailer!

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L-R: Zuma (voiced by Shayle Simons), Rocky (voiced by Callum Shoniker), Skye (voiced by Lilly Bartlam), Chase (voiced by Iain Armitage), Marshall (voiced by Kingsley Marshall), and Rubble (voiced by Keegan Hedley) in PAW PATROL: THE MOVIE from Paramount Pictures. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Spin Master.

 

Paramount Pictures, Nickelodeon Movies, and Spin Master Entertainment Present

A Spin Master Entertainment Production.

Directed by: Cal Brunker

Screenplay by: Billy Frolick and Cal Brunker & Bob Barlen

Story by: Billy Frolick

Based on the television series created by Keith Chapman

Produced by: Jennifer Dodge, p.g.a.

Executive Producers: Ronnen Harary, Adam Beder, and Peter Schlessel

VOICE CAST:

Iain Armitage, Marsai Martin, Ron Pardo, Yara Shahidi, Kim Kardashian West, Randall Park, Dax Shepard with Tyler Perry and Jimmy Kimmel introducing Will Brisbin

SYNOPSIS:

The PAW Patrol is on a roll! When their biggest rival, Humdinger, becomes Mayor of nearby Adventure City and starts wreaking havoc, Ryder and everyone’s favourite heroic pups kick into high gear to face the challenge head-onf. While one pup must face his past in Adventure City, the team finds help from a new ally, the savvy dachshund Liberty. Together, armed with exciting new gadgets and gear, the PAW Patrol fights to save the citizens of Adventure City! Joining the PAW Patrol in their thrilling first big-screen adventure are members from the original series’ cast along with Iain Armitage, Marsai Martin, Yara Shahidi, Kim Kardashian West, Randall Park, Dax Shepard, with Tyler Perry and Jimmy Kimmel and introducing Will Brisbin.

The Verdict On The Courier: Is It Worth Your Time And Money??

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There are some actors who are so talented, they can make any bad movie or bad line come off as natural and impressive and it’s not a quality every actor possesses. Sometimes an actor can carry a whole movie on their own and even though you don’t want one person to carry the whole production, it’s nice knowing their talent can take you quite a bit of distance. Benedict Cumberbatch is definitely talented enough to carry a film by himself, I have never seen him give a bad performance before and today’s film is no exception. However, the entertainment and investment in a film also depend largely on how the rest of the content flows, and that brings us to the contradictory conundrum problem of how to view/rate a movie like “The Courier.”

Set during the upcoming threat of the Cuban Missile Crisis, in the shadow of the Cold War a letter from Oleg Penkovsky (Merab Ninidze) an agency of the Soviet Union received by M16 stating the concern of Penkovsky about world safety and his anxiety about nuclear war, So Emily Donovan (Rachel Brosnahan) a CIA Agent reached out to MI6 Agent Dickie Franks (Angus Wright), who recruited British salesman Greville Wynne (Benedict Cumberbatch) to be their spy and uncover information that can stop the Cuban Missile Crisis before it’s too late; based on a true story.

I’m always iffy about true story films and even more so about ones based on my least favorite genre of film: war stories. Granted, “The Courier” is a spy movie at heart and while all of its heavy-handed dialogue and dramatic political tension may engage others, it only served to alienate and bore me as the movie drudged on and on. I mean no disrespect to anyone who worked on this film or the real-life people and events it’s based on, but no matter how many dramatic music cues, close-ups or theatrical gestures the characters make; some things just aren’t that thrilling and don’t translate interestingly enough to film. At no point did I care much about what anyone was saying or doing. More than half the movie was just a bunch of shifty people walking in shadows in trench coats and having supposedly serious conversations in dramatic fashions.

I know very little about how authentic or accurate Cumberbatch’s portrayal of Greville Wynne was but I can certainly say he played the role with masterful effort and class. In a lot of ways, it felt like I was watching his character/role from “Black Mass” expanded into the leading role (even though they are obviously completely different roles.) The problem is, as great as he is, it wasn’t enough to alleviate the cloud of dull dust that had settled on every other minor and major supporting character. It looks beautiful, it’s shot very well and framed excellently…but it doesn’t help if everything that is being framed is exhaustingly boring. Nothing really happens, just a lot of deep conversations about being a spy, risks spies are exposed to and it just keeps dragging on and on with little variation.

I can’t help but feel if I would have understood things faster and clearer if I just read a history book and find out what happened in a condensed fashion instead of watching this. Least then it would have been over faster and I would have gotten the accurate story (not sure how accurate any of this film is.) I understand Hollywood’s need to spice things up with flare and all that, but there are only so many times you can have someone talk intensely about the same subject for 2 hours straight before it feels tiresome and you lost whatever fragment of interest you had left. I can’t even remember anything that really happened in the movie or anyone’s name outside of Cumberbatch. I remember it was shot well and I remember it was about the Cuban Missile Crisis but that’s about it.

Overall, “The Courier” just can’t keep up with the thematic edge it’s framing this information around; it’s just not that interesting. Cumberbatch is, as always, a delight to watch and the cinematography is admirably well done. But what good is a movie if you can’t remember it a few hours after seeing it? That’s the problem I have with “The Courier.” I remember the history and I remember Benedict Cumberbatch but anything and anyone else in the film quickly fades away into afterthoughts not worth revisiting. The star power of Cumberbatch cannot turn a boring film into an exciting one and I hope the portrayals here were accurate to real-life because otherwise, I honestly don’t know what else this movie has going for it.

Rating: I give “The Courier” 2 stars out of 4.

The Verdict On Wrath Of Man: Is It Worth Your Time And Money??

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Jason Statham has made a name for himself; well, two names actually. On the one hand, he’s a freshly bruised face to the action movie genre and knows how to put his physical skills to the test in explosion fashion (The Transporter trilogy, Safe). On the other hand, he’s also dabbled in the wackier, stranger side of action films that make little sense; except an excuse for him to do some crazy stuff on screen and somehow make it stupid and equally entertaining with ease (The Crank films, Hobbs and Shaw). “Wrath of Man” definitely skews more towards the former despite the flashy presentation and editing work (thanks to “Sherlock Holmes” director, Guy Ritchie). In some ways, it’s a typical Jason Statham movie and in some ways, it’s not typical at all…but in a good way.

Our story follows the mysterious one-man army known simply as H (Jason Statham). He’s recently started working as an armored car driver at a cash truck company in Los Angeles. His co-workers and would-be robbers learn painfully and quickly how dangerous H can be and that he is far more than a mere truck driver. H nearly died in a shootout years earlier that cost him the life of his son. Now he’s using the armored car job to lure criminals out in hopes of finding the people responsible for killing his son and making them pay with their lives.

Jason Statham has this habit of always playing himself (or an exaggerated badass version of himself) in all his movies; it’s the same role every time essentially. However, it’s a role he does well and there’s hardly been a single film he’s starred in that didn’t deliver on the action side of things. “Wrath of Man” is a different breed of film for Statham and his unique set of physical talents as it takes him on a much darker ride than most people are used to. Much like “Safe,” Statham is put into a harsher, more violent, and grim story/situation that kind of sucker punches you out of nowhere. To say too much more about the story would delve too deeply into spoiler territories and there is much within the plot that can be easily spoiled if one is not careful.

I think a lot of people write Statham off as a one-note action star that can’t branch out into many other fields/genres and I think that’s an unfair and inaccurate depiction. “Wrath of Man” proves he is capable of handling and taking on much more than people give him credit for. Guy Ritchie is known for this stylistic sense of flare and distinct action sequences; his work always carries that distinctive edge that makes a Guy Ritchie movie feel like a Guy Ritchie movie. The story here jumps around erratically; using a similar mixed-up narrative that Quentin Tarantino is known for. It works more than it fails in this film’s case but it does make you stop and wonder where this scene fits in the timeline if you’re seeing it for the first time.

The only downside with Ritchie’s narrative style here is that it ends up making the film feel longer than it actually is and that is not a good thing to have. Usually, the longer a film feels the worse the experience is even though that is not the case here. Perhaps if some cues or signs indicating when and where this scene was happening could have helped clear up a few of those misunderstandings, but these are minor gripes at best. There’s also a great yet underrated supporting cast to talk about with the likes of Josh Hartnett, Scott Eastwood, and Eddie Marsan filling in some deeply interesting supporting roles. Again, can’t say too much without giving away too much. Rest assured this is definitely not an action movie I would call predictable.

If anything comes from “Wrath of Man” beyond box office bucks, I hope this gives directors and producers a new sense of appreciation and foresight when hiring Jason Statham for roles meatier than just a generic bad-ass kicking guy with a new name/film/location, etc. This film clearly shows he can go dark and badass without missing a beat and is capable of much more with the right amount of artistic direction. “Wrath of Man” doesn’t always know what its timeline is or its tone but it knows how to make excellent use of Statham’s skills that other films have not and I hope this trend continues because this is a side of him I don’t think anyone can get sick of.

Rating: 2 ½ stars out of 4